Financial transactions are often performed by users at computer terminals. For example, bank transactions performed at an automated teller machine (ATM). By way of further example, point-of-sale (POS) devices are often used to conduct financial transactions between a consumer and a merchant for payment of goods or services.
With the widespread use of wireless communications and sophisticated mobile devices such as smart phones, tablet computers and the like, merchants are also using Mobile Point of Sale (MPOS) technology to conduct financial transactions. MPOS technology allows mobile devices to be used as a point-of-sale terminal. This is typically achieved by adding a hardware device (e.g., a dongle/card-reader, contactless transaction device reader, etc.) to accept electronic transaction information, thereby transforming a mobile phone into a POS device.
Many consumers use transaction cards, such as debit cards, credit cards or prepaid cards having magnetic strips or computer chips to complete such financial transactions. Another method for completing these transactions is “contactless” transaction, such as can be done using with PAYPASS® by MasterCard International Incorporated of Purchase N.Y., the assignee of the present disclosure. Using contactless transaction technology, consumers complete a payment transaction by bringing a contactless-enabled transaction card or other contactless-enabled transaction device, such as a key fob, within proximity of a point-of-sale terminal reader, rather than swiping or inserting a card. With the rising popularity of near field communications (NFC) equipped smart phones, consumers are also completing contactless transactions using their smart phones instead of the traditional wireless transaction key fobs.
As would be understood, many financial transactions are memorialized in a receipt for the parties to the transaction. Traditionally, this is in the form of a paper receipt printed at a transaction terminal using a connected printer. In general, MPOS devices do not, by themselves, provide paper receipts. Although paper receipts can be provided by an attached printer, receipts are usually provided electronically to the consumer, for example, by short messaging service (SMS) to the consumer's telephone number or via e-mail. In some implementations, fixed transaction terminals can also be configured to transmit receipts electronically to consumers.
One drawback to transactions in which electronic receipts are transmitted to the consumer is that the consumer is required to enter their electronic contact addresses (e.g., e-mail, telephone number, etc.) into the POS/MPOS terminal. This is a lengthy and cumbersome process requiring active input that ultimately can hinder the user experience and use of these technologies. For example, when faced with a lengthy multi-step process to enter a contact address the consumer may prefer to pay with cash or not receive a receipt. In addition, the entry process is error prone, for example, typographical errors, and therefore the electronic receipts are often not transmitted to the appropriate electronic contact address.
Another barrier to performing transactions using MPOS devices is that the consumer often lacks trust in the electronic devices being used and/or the merchant using the MPOS device. For example, a consumer may be hesitant to share personal contact information using an MPOS device that is often the merchant's personal device because the merchant's device may have no restrictions on application downloads and can be prone to hacking. In addition some customers may not be comfortable providing personal information to merchants for privacy reasons, say, for fear of unwanted contact from the merchant or sharing of personal contact information.
As such, what is desired is a system to automatically capture a consumer's electronic contact address when conducting an electronic transaction at a computing device and automatically transmit an electronic receipt to the captured contact address. Furthermore, it is desirable to capture such information and other preferences in a manner that enhances user privacy.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.